Before Andrew Rea started his popular “Binging With Babish” YouTube channel, he could barely get out of bed. Today, he credits the show, which inspires its three million subscribers to make their favorite “as seen on TV” dishes, with saving his life.

In 2015, six months before starting the channel, Mr. Rea, a former visual effects supervisor, was overcome with depression. But by combining his passions for food and filmmaking, as well as seeking professional help, he rediscovered how using those passions could lead to a rewarding career.

“Even if it hadn’t become my career and completely changed my life, the late nights spent tinkering after work would’ve been worth it,” Mr. Rea said. “I was cooking again, I was filming again, I was happy again.”

Whether you’re looking to cultivate a hobby as a professional steppingstone, or just to feel more fulfilled, extracurricular activities carry measurable benefits. And even if you don’t have a passion that really stokes your flames, there’s hope for you, too.

Pursuing your passion makes you feel good

Mr. Rea’s experience isn’t atypical. A 2015 study published in The Annals of Behavioral Medicine found that pursuing your passion both lowers stress and contributes to greater happiness over all. Researchers found that participants who engaged in hobbies were 34 percent less stressed and 18 percent less sad during the activities, as well as for some time after.

Laura Vanderkam, a productivity expert, advocates finding time for yourself as a means to greater happiness over all. “Life just feels better when you have things in your hours that you want to do,” Ms. Vanderkam said. “There’s moments where time almost has no meaning because we’re so happy about what we’re doing. The more time you can spend in that zone, the better life feels.”

Students, read the entire article, then tell us:

— What are your passions?

— How do your passions factor into your daily life and future goals? Do you want to turn them into a career? Do you use them as a way to have fun and relieve stress? Do you feel they make you a better person? Or, do you pursue them to help other people and the world?

— Ms. Vanderkam says, “When you did activities as a kid, they were often built in — there was an adult forcing you to go.” Do you feel like you have the time and freedom to pursue your true passions? Are your favorite activities a part of your weekly schedule? Or is your time being taken up by things you don’t truly love?

— What else — if anything — has prevented you from finding or following your passions? What advice might you take from the article to move past those roadblocks?

— Ms. Vanderkam says that even if you don’t have a passion, any self-improvement — like cultivating skills or trying new things — “can give you a renewed sense of meaning and accomplishment.” Is this true for you? Can you recall a time when working on yourself or doing the things you love most made you feel happier or more fulfilled?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.